Modernization of Pardubice Airport will continue for now

Pardubice - The modernization of the civil airport in Pardubice is not seriously threatened despite the suspension of project financing. The Regional Council of the Cohesion Region of North East stopped the payment of European subsidies at the end of November due to concerns about a manipulated tender for the completion. Construction work is scheduled to continue until December 15, after which it will be slowed down due to weather conditions, the mayor Štěpánka Fraňková (Association for Pardubice) told reporters today.
    "The question is how long the delay will last until a final decision by the regional council is reached," Fraňková stated.
    The construction company has already received approximately 150 million CZK, about half of the total costs. Another batch of invoices for approximately 30 million CZK, which must be given priority for payment, is still awaiting reimbursement. In case of delays, Pardubice, according to the mayor, could temporarily finance the airport modernization from the city's budget reserve for next year, which has about 34 million CZK. The Pardubice Region, as a minority shareholder of East Bohemian Airport, which operates the civil airport, should also contribute to the payment.
    The Regional Council temporarily suspended financing after police alerted them that the lottery during the tendering process could have been manipulated. The police are already investigating three projects funded by the ROP North East, and the council decided to examine another six suspicious projects, including the airport modernization. This work began last summer, and the modifications of ground areas have been completed so far, with the construction of fuel management, additional areas for vehicle movement, and technical facilities to follow. The entire project, estimated at around 300 million CZK, is set to be completed in July next year; 214 million CZK was obtained by East Bohemia Airport, in which Pardubice holds two-thirds and the Pardubice Region one-third, from European subsidies.
    If construction were to be interrupted for an extended period due to the suspended financing, it would need to be preserved, which would cost an estimated five to ten million CZK, a cost not accounted for in the project budget. The entire European subsidy would also be at risk.